From the moment the 8.3L Dodge Viper engine arrived at National Speed we knew that we were diving into uncharted waters. Like most projects of this magnitude, there are always interesting challenges that require creative solutions. Though the KISS philosophy ("Keep it simple, stupid") may have set sail with the first cut of our Durango's firewall, we have still managed to keep of the project from getting overly complicated.

Still working away with National Speed and Momentum Performance in Wilmington, North Carolina, we continue to make progress with the aid of the performance aftermarket specialist and top-shelf fabricators. This dual-shop working relationship has allowed us to build quicker by splitting up some of the more time-intensive fabrication. As much as we enjoy wrenching on this monster, we're anxious to hit the dirt and have that little slice of Mopar history by creating the first 8.3L Viper powered Durango.

1. The Advance Adapters four-speed transfer case is the proverbial Swiss Army Knife of geardriven torque dividers. While the bulk of the case is similar to the tried-and-true two-speed Atlas, the six-gear planetary underdrive attached to the front of the case makes the unit extremely versatile. It is fitted with a 2.72:1 low and 1:1 high in the forward planetary assembly, and we have the option of shifting from 1:1, 2.0:1. 2.72:1, and 5.4:1.

Parts Summit
Projects vehicles of this size require a lot of parts. While most of the big-ticket items are pretty straightforward, the little stuff like AN fittings and miscellaneous hoses and hardware can really slow progress, especially if your local parts clerk thinks a dash fitting is something you get when you join the high school track team. Lucky for us we were able to cruise Summit Racing's website and round up everything we needed to create our mudder's fuel system. So the next time you're gathering up your parts list, you might try Summit. A little parts browsing on that website saved us a ton of time and cash.

Next Month
We're getting close to shifting the Heavy Metal Mudder out of the shop and into the dirt, but we still have a few big hurdles to cross. With the dreaded wiring still left to be tackled, a cooling system to be plumbed, and a dash in need of reassembly, we'll have plenty of juicy tech waiting for you in next month's issue.